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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23168134">Do The Brave Thing</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/AZFell_Ineffable/pseuds/AZFell_Ineffable'>AZFell_Ineffable</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman &amp; Terry Pratchett</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angel Crowley (Good Omens), Demon Aziraphale (Good Omens), Established Relationship, I like corny, I'm looking for corny in my life, Ineffable Husbands (Good Omens), Inspired by and written for Fyre, Inverse Omens, Marriage, Romantic Fluff, The Realm of Possibility Sort-Of Sequel, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, cheesy af</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 13:26:17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,427</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23168134</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/AZFell_Ineffable/pseuds/AZFell_Ineffable</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>What happened in the original universe after Aziraphale (angel) and Crowley (demon) were returned to their universe?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>39</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Do The Brave Thing</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fyre/gifts">Fyre</a>.</li>



    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Aziraphale couldn’t focus on the book he was reading.</p><p>Hardly a surprise, given the experience he and Crowley had just went through, he mused, taking a sip of his cocoa.</p><p>He and Crowley had returned, approximately twelve hours previously, from a different universe. One in which their positions had been reversed.</p><p>
  <i> “Permit me to introduce myself. I am Aziraphale, the Serpent of Eden, Tempter, Corrupter, and general slut,” </i>
</p><p>He shook his head. He supposed he shouldn’t have been surprised at how successful he would have been as a demon. He was a sensualist and a bit of a hedonist, even as an angel. Without Heaven to curb his impulses, he imagined he would have thrown himself into enjoying himself as much as possible – food, drink, sex…if his own efforts at taking over Crowley’s temptations were any indication, he imagined he would have been quite effective as a demon. Not to mention, his propensity, when angered, to be cold and uncaring.</p><p>The angel Aziraphale had always been worried about becoming a demon, but not to the extent that the angel version of Crowley seemed to. He wondered what the reason was for the angel Crowley to be so afraid of Falling. </p><p>He knew, from his Crowley’s demeanour, that being ripped from the light of God might have been what made demons so determined to keep rejecting any shadow of it. Given how little time they had spent with their counterparts, he wondered if the demon Aziraphale had been as adamant about not requiring forgiveness. He almost hoped so, given the frankly ridiculous reason that had been given for him to Fall. </p><p>He recalled how protective his demonic counterpart had been of his husband. He had taken note of the ring on his finger when he and the other Aziraphale had been preparing tea while they had waited for their Crowleys to return.</p><p>
  <i> “I don’t want to pry,” Aziraphale began as he prepared the infuser with a brand of tea that his demonic counterpart had insisted on. “But might I ask a personal question?”</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“Well, I am you, my dear,” the demon sent a mocking smirk over his shoulder. “Surely we know all there is to know about each other?”</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Aziraphale wondered if the angel Crowley ever wanted to smack the demon Aziraphale. He wondered if his own Crowley felt this way whenever Aziraphale attempted to wind the demon up. He wondered if ibuprofen would work on him, he was starting to get a headache about the whole thing.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“You and your Crowley are married, aren’t you? I noticed your rings when you kissed his hand,”</i>
</p><p>
  <i>The demon stiffened and turned to face Aziraphale. It really was chilling to see his own face with demonic eyes in the same shade of blue as his own. </i>
</p><p>
  <i>“You seem to notice a great deal, Principality,” </i>
</p><p>
  <i>“Most people think I’m a soft touch in every way,” Aziraphale smiled mirthlessly. “I’m happy to let them think so if it means using it to my advantage,”</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“Very shrewd,”</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“Only way to survive with Gabriel,” Aziraphale shrugged. “I might be soft, but I’m certainly no fool. Would you prefer not to answer?”</i>
</p><p>
  <i>His demonic counterpart smiled softly. “Yes, we are,”</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Aziraphale was filled with an aching sense of longing. </i>
</p><p>
  <i>“Aren’t you?”</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“I wasn’t sure we could,” Aziraphale murmured quietly, placing the infuser in the teapot and wrapping his arms around himself. “I suppose I’m still used to being under Heaven’s thumb so much that it’s become habit for me to deny myself, and Crowley, what we really want,”</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“Some unsolicited advice, Principality? Ask him. Right away. He’ll say yes,”</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“We may be reversed, my dear, but that hardly means we’re the same in that aspect,”</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“No, I mean…my only regret of the entire thing is that I didn’t ask him. It’s the only thing I wish I’d done. If your Crowley is anything like mine, he’s always been the brave one, even if he doesn’t think so. Maybe it’s time for you to be brave this once,” </i>
</p><p>Aziraphale allowed the memory of his counterpart’s words to wash over him. </p><p>He had always seen himself as a coward. He hated fighting, though he had been well-trained. He had spent his existence running from the truth. Crowley liked to believe that he was good at loopholes, because the devil was in the details, and Crowley was excellent at knowing the rules so that he could break them. Aziraphale was far more insidious because while Crowley could be confrontational when he wanted to be, Aziraphale never wanted to be. So he managed to get his way while still technically staying within the rules, even if that meant lying to Heaven, or to God Herself. Aziraphale had wondered how that had not caused a Fall, but he was clever enough not to question his good fortune. He had always been clever, because being clever often meant being able to find a solution to avoid fighting. The bravest he had ever been had always been because Crowley had needed him to be, never for his own benefit. He had only ever been brave to keep his demon safe. But while Heaven and Hell would one day be back to start a new war, they were safe for now. Aziraphale no longer had to be brave. </p><p>But he very much wanted to be. For Crowley, again. But this time, for himself too.    </p><p>He had been out earlier in the afternoon while Crowley had slept. He had remembered his demon’s penchant for beautiful 1950’s era dresses, and had found an absolutely breathtaking one – a delectable silk and lace swing dress in ivory with delicate petticoats under the skirt that would come to Crowley’s knee. The sleeves were the most delicate lace and would hug Crowley’s arms to his elbows, and the neckline would be straight across Crowley’s chest, just under his collarbone. But it was the back that Aziraphale had added and adored – delicate white mesh from the base of the neck to the small of the back, held in the centre by a wavy silver and crystal serpent that ran down where his spine would be. Aziraphale had also taken the liberty of adding pockets to the dress.

He had even purchased a pair of peep-toe, nude mesh high heels with crystals and the red backs that he knew Crowley would adore, crystal hairpins, and a well-tailored tuxedo for himself in a lovely dove grey with black lapels and a red bow tie checked with gold. He stared at the ring box in front of his book, with the two gold wedding bands he had made using a well-crafted miracle. They were two-toned bands, and had the words “To the world” engraved on the underside. One was silver edged with gold whilst the other was gold edged with silver. </p><p>“Angel?” </p><p>The sound of Crowley’s still-sleepy voice made Aziraphale close the ring box and slide it into his trouser pocket. </p><p>“Down here!” Aziraphale called up to his tiny flat. Crowley emerged a moment later from the staircase, his hair messy and his face bleary.</p><p>“Wondered where you’d got to,” Crowley murmured as he sat on the sofa near Aziraphale’s desk, where the two of them had spent hours upon hours drinking and talking late into the night. Aziraphale, instead of staying in his seat as he used to, rose from his chair and took the seat next to Crowley, who huddled next to him, his head leaning on Aziraphale’s shoulder. Aziraphale put one arm around Crowley’s shoulder and the other around Crowley’s waist. The demon wrapped his arms around Aziraphale’s middle. </p><p>“You were asleep for a long time, dear. I couldn’t bear to wake you. Are you feeling better?”</p><p>“Much. Pulling two celestials and a Bentley across parallel universes isn’t easy,”</p><p>Aziraphale nodded, stroking Crowley’s hair.</p><p>“So. When were you going to tell me that before the Fall, you were an Archangel?”</p><p>Crowley stiffened and looked at Aziraphale in worry. Aziraphale rolled his eyes.</p><p>“Really, Crowley. Don’t you think I know that short of the Almighty, only Archangels have the power to stop time? I don’t care, I’m not about to scrape and bow and act like you’re Gabriel or something. I’m just wondering why you felt you couldn’t tell me before,” </p><p>Crowley sighed. “Because until recently, you would have scraped and bowed if you’d known. I remember the fear that Gabriel, Michael and the others instilled in you. I never wanted to be the cause of that, not when it came to you,” </p><p>Aziraphale nodded. Crowley did have a point.</p><p>“And now?”</p><p>“Well, now, you know. I recognized the Book when they brought it out,”</p><p>Aziraphale blinked and turned to look at Crowley in surprise.</p><p>“Raziel,”</p><p>Crowley nodded, looking uncomfortable. “I never liked the name. But I hated when it was taken from me,”</p><p>“But…Crowley, the Book of Raziel exists in this universe, I’ve heard of it. Did you write it as well? And where is it?”</p><p>Crowley’s lip quirked, and Aziraphale knew Crowley was amused at Aziraphale’s predictable rabid desire when it came to books of any kind.</p><p>“Well, after I Fell, I couldn’t keep a hold of it. I wrote it when my wings were still white, and it was dropped to Earth after Adam and Eve left Eden. I couldn’t hold it or look inside it anymore, but I was able to miracle it so that it would find its way to an angel who wouldn’t misuse it,” Crowley looked meaningfully at Aziraphale.</p><p>“Me?”</p><p>“Who else would I trust? Who else in this universe wouldn’t have hoarded the knowledge for Heaven and told humanity that they weren’t worthy of it?”</p><p>“But Crowley, it didn’t find its way to me,”</p><p>Crowley grinned.</p><p>“It did,” he got up and strolled over to Aziraphale’s private collection of occult books in the back and pointed at a book without looking at it. Aziraphale came over and plucked it off the shelf. He stared at it.</p><p>“That…Crowley, what on Earth is a Harry Potter book doing in my occult collection? More to the point, what is it doing in my shop? I don’t sell or own Harry Potter books!”</p><p>Crowley grinned wider.</p><p>“Camouflage. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets becomes…” Crowley waved his hand, and the image of the boy wizard melted away to reveal…</p><p>“The Book of Raziel,” Aziraphale breathed in awe. </p><p>“If you want to read it, I’d just like to ask that you don't do it in front of me. I like being able to see without blood in my eyes,” Crowley drawled, sitting back on the sofa. Aziraphale huffed, running gentle fingers over the cover.</p><p>“Really, darling, of course I’ll wait until you’re out,” Aziraphale placed the book on his desk. He took a deep breath when he was sure Crowley couldn’t watch him do it, and then turned back to face his demon. </p><p>“Wait a moment,” he suddenly realized something and glared at Crowley.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“Angel of Mysteries hiding his book with a cover about a room of secrets? Really?” Crowley snickered at Aziraphale’s expression of disgust.  </p><p>“Thought you’d appreciate that,”</p><p>“Not the word I’d pick,” Aziraphale sniffed in mock-exasperation. He couldn’t help the fond smile spreading across his face. “What am I going to do with you?”</p><p>Crowley smiled innocently. “Love me?”</p><p>Aziraphale smiled back, knowing he would never get a better opening. “Hmm…I can’t seem to help myself in that regard, darling,” He stepped over to Crowley, sliding the box out of his pocket and getting on one knee in front of Crowley. He held the box in front of Crowley’s shocked face. “But maybe this will do?”</p><p>“Angel, what the fuck?” Crowley gasped, his golden eyes wide, pupils blown. </p><p>“Really, dear, what does it look like?” Aziraphale tutted, an impish grin on his face as he opened the box. Crowley stared down at Aziraphale as if he couldn’t believe what he was looking at.</p><p>“My love,” Aziraphale began, but Crowley launched himself at Aziraphale, causing the angel to fall back on the floor as Crowley kissed him senseless. It took all of Aziraphale’s effort just to keep a hold on the box and embrace Crowley.</p><p>“Yes, you idiot, yes, a billion times, yes,” Crowley moaned into Aziraphale’s mouth. Aziraphale laughed.</p><p>“But darling, my speech-” he tried to say.</p><p>“Don’t care, skip it, the answer is yes,” Crowley muttered, burying his face in Aziraphale’s neck. Aziraphale grinned widely in delight.</p><p>“Oh, good. Want to get married today?” Crowley looked at Aziraphale in shock.</p><p>“Wait, what?” Aziraphale chuckled.</p><p>“You were so focused on me, you didn’t notice my new acquisitions,” he indicated the garment bags hanging up next to his desk, and the shopping bag and the shoe box under the desk. He laughed as Crowley lunged for the bags and opened all of them. He rose from his knees and fiddled with the ring box.</p><p>“Do you approve?” he asked, smiling calmly. Crowley was staring at the shoes, dress and accessories with something akin to awe. </p><p>“Angel,” Crowley breathed. “When did you find the time to get all of these?”</p><p>“You did sleep for twelve hours, my love. I haven’t been idle,” Aziraphale grinned. </p><p>“Where is all this coming from?” Crowley gaped at Aziraphale. </p><p>“A certain demon inspired me to bravery,” Aziraphale smiled tenderly. </p><p>Crowley stared at Aziraphale for a moment and then snapped his fingers. Instantly, Aziraphale’s regular trousers, waistcoat, shirt, bow-tie and coat had been replaced by the well-cut tuxedo he had purchased, and Crowley’s Henley, skinny jeans and snake-skin boots had become the beautiful white dress and the nude and crystal shoes. His hair had lengthened to his shoulders and was artfully curled and pinned back with crystal pins. His eyes were lined in kohl and his lips were painted a beautiful deep red. Aziraphale stared in awe at Crowley.</p><p>“Oh, darling,” he gasped. “You look sublime,”  </p><p>Crowley would probably not appreciate it if Aziraphale pointed out his very lovely blush. “Registry Office?”</p><p>“Hardly, love,” Aziraphale grinned and with a snap of his fingers, they found themselves on the roof of the bookshop. Crowley had, since discovering its existence, been turning it into a roof garden with all his plants. He had recently even planted flowering trees and one apple tree, grown from a seed that had come from the very apple Eve had bitten into all those millennia ago. By some miracle, the weather outside was absolutely perfect – blue skies, a few tiny clouds, and golden yellow sun. Aziraphale beamed and took Crowley’s hands in his.</p><p>“No officiator? Or witnesses?” Crowley asked, raising a perfectly plucked brow. Aziraphale smiled.</p><p>“We’ve witnessed the beginning and the end of the world. Surely the world can witness us for once,”</p><p>Crowley’s grin became soft and adoring. “Angel,”</p><p>Aziraphale smiled. “We should say vows of some sort?"</p><p>Crowley gave him a look of fond annoyance. "Well, I'm sort of going off the cuff here, angel, but I'll try," He took a deep breath he did not need and closed his eyes for a moment before opening them. He met Aziraphale's eyes and smiled. “Aziraphale. I have loved you from the moment you told me you gave away your flaming sword. Because it showed me that there was still one angel left in the universe who understood what their role was. To be unconditionally kind, compassionate and filled with love for everything. To protect humanity. You are the only one who was truly a protector, a shepherd, someone that humanity could rely on to make the hard decisions for them. And when you treated me, a demon, like your equal, and sheltered me from the rain as you would have for any human, I fell in love with you. And I have never stopped. So I don’t need to promise to love you until death do us part, mainly because we won’t die, but also because loving you is something I just do. But I promise to shelter you from all that could threaten us, to stand strong beside you when the rest of the universe is against us, and to keep you smiling for the rest of our existence. We’re on our side, angel, now and forever,”</p><p>Aziraphale stared in awe, his eyes overflowing with tears. Crowley grinned.</p><p>"Now you," he teased, wiping the tears from Aziraphale's face. Aziraphale laughed wetly.</p><p>"You expect me to top that?" he swallowed and let out a breath of his own before beginning the vows he had written upon returning home a little over twelve hours before. He had read and re-read them so many times, he had them memorized. </p><p>“Crowley. My dearest love, who questions the injustices of humanity, Heaven and Hell. I have never met a demon with as much faith as you. Faith in your own imagination, faith in humanity, and faith in me. Isn’t it a funny world, where a demon has faith and an angel doubts? I have not always been worthy of that faith – like the Almighty, I have given you cause to doubt, to question, to forsake. But we’re on our own side now, Crowley, and I can promise that I will never give you a reason to doubt again. I will walk beside you for the rest of eternity. We’ve never been to Alpha Centauri together, but to be honest, I’m not sure we need to. There’s an old phrase, about hanging the stars. You hung the ones in the sky, and you are my binary star, just as I am yours. We will keep circling each other, as we have always done, our own Alpha Centauri. I have always loved you, Crowley, although I may not have allowed myself to realize it until 1941. I will spend the rest of our lives cherishing you, through all your fast driving, your love of chaos, and your inability to take compliments gracefully. I hope you’ll forgive me, my love, my dearest demon, but I think you were wrong about being unforgivable. I think there was nothing to forgive, and She knew it. She is beyond description, my darling, and so are we. We are inevitable, and we are ineffable, from the birth of the universe until we disintegrate back into stardust,”    </p><p>Crowley was grinning and crying now too. "You bastard," he laughed. "I love you so much,"</p><p>Aziraphale grinned and let go of Crowley's hands to present the ring box. Crowley opened the box and plucked out one of the rings while Aziraphale took the other. They slipped the rings on each other’s fingers and Crowley grabbed Aziraphale by his lapels to pull him to his toes for a kiss. </p><p>After what seemed like no time at all, or maybe it was an eternity, they pulled away. Rose petals of every colour seemed to be falling all around them.</p><p>Aziraphale laughed in delight. “Crowley, you’re a romantic,”</p><p>Crowley blushed and rolled his eyes as he pulled out his phone.</p><p>“Alright, angel, wedding photo,” he held it up at the right angle. “Three, two-”</p><p>The “one” was swallowed up by Aziraphale’s lips on his own as he snapped the photo.</p><p>Crowley pulled away and grinned at Aziraphale. “Soft,”</p><p>“Sap,” Aziraphale giggled, wrapping his arms around Crowley’s waist.</p><p>***Meanwhile, in another universe***</p><p>“Who is it, angel?” Aziraphale groaned, burying his face in Crowley’s neck as the angel checked his phone for the message that had chirped.</p><p>A photograph had been sent to him – a selfie of a familiar demon and angel kissing tenderly, dressed in a dress and tuxedo respectively. The photo had clearly been taken by the demon. Crowley smiled.</p><p>“Oh, our counterparts,” he drawled. “Seems they took a leaf out of our book and tied the knot,”</p><p>The demon curled at his side grunted. “About bloody time,”</p><p>Crowley grinned. “You had something to do with this, didn’t you?”</p><p>“I don’t know what you mean, my darling, I’m just trying to sleep here,” Aziraphale growled grumpily. Crowley wasn’t fooled, not for a second.</p><p>“You soft lump,” he sighed, kissing the side of Aziraphale’s head. He felt his demon smile against his skin.</p><p>“I just gave him a word or two of encouragement. He loves his Crowley as much as I love mine,”</p><p>Crowley smiled, moved so that he could look Aziraphale in the face and kissed his mouth softly.</p><p>“And both Crowleys loves their Aziraphales just as much,” Crowley breathed as he broke the kiss. He delighted in seeing his demon flushing and smiling gently back. </p><p>“Soft,” Aziraphale muttered.</p><p>“Sap,” Crowley purred back, kissing his demon once more.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Yes, this is sappy, and cheesy and disgustingly cliche. You know what I say to that? "AND WHAT OF IT?" I need some corny stuff in my life given my horrible mental health, so this is what you get. The wedding rings are based off mine and my spouse's. Thank you, Fyre, for creating this microcosm within the larger Good Omens Universe! And of course, thanks to Neil Gaiman and the late Sir Terry Pratchett for the best work of fiction I have ever read, bar none. I don't own any of these characters, I'm just playing with 'em. The title is half of a quote from Once Upon A Time (TV): "Do the brave thing, and bravery would follow." I thought it suited Aziraphale.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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